The Incredible Story of Henry N. Brown

In her debut novel, German writer Bubenzer uses a device usually employed in stories aimed at young readers to follow 10 unrelated families in nearly as many nations through most of the 20th century. Henry N. Brown is a teddy bear created in 1921 by a grieving young Englishwoman whose husband went missing in WWI four years earlier. Sometimes lost, sometimes abandoned, sometimes given away, Henry discovers his particular role in each household, learning about life, love, and loss while dispensing his wisdom to readers. Henry's owners not only stretch across geographical borders, they also encompass a wide range of ages and personalities, and while the book's overall structure is predictable, Henry's stay with each family is a novella in itself. What could be a cloying, saccharine story has a straightforward compassion, gentleness, and humor, thanks to Bubenzer's graceful writing. A pleasing saga, but one that may have difficulty finding an audience: not many teenagers will pick up a book with a teddy-bear narrator, and younger children may find the length, and some of the subject matter, daunting. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (Dec.)